2022 NFL Draft: 3 Observations on Jaguars Selecting Devin Lloyd No. 27 Overall

The Jacksonville Jaguars were some of the biggest winners of the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, in large part due to an aggressive late-night move up the board for falling Utah linebacker Devin Lloyd. Once seen as a potential top-10 pick, Lloyd at No. 27 was the cherry on top to what the Jaguars saw as a successful firrst night.

"He does a little bit of everything. He can cover. He can rush the passer. He's very good against the run inside the tackle box and outside," Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke said on Thursday.

"So just a lot of versatility, and he's a culture setter. He's a great young man. He fits into what we're trying to build here, and we're looking forward to having him here."

What do we make of the Jaguars' trade up for Lloyd and what does it mean moving forward?

Few teams have invested in linebacker like the Jaguars; can Mike Caldwell make it pay off?

There aren't many teams pouring resources into the inside linebacker position like the Jaguars. For one, the Jaguars are paying a combined $14,737,500 in dead cap for Joe Schobert and Myles Jack to not even be on the roster. Then there is the eye-popping three-year, $45 million deal with $28 million that Foyesade Oluokun signed in March. Finally, the Jaguars traded multiple picks to move back into the first-round to draft Lloyd at No. 27, ensuring a first-round contract and a significant resource once again invested at linebacker.

It is a bold move considering that off-ball linebacker isn't seen as a premium position in the NFL, with the fact that Lloyd was even available at No. 27 backing this up. Only one linebacker went in the first 26 picks, even though Lloyd was commonly mocked as a top-15 player. The question now is not just if the Jaguars are right or not to invest so much at linebacker, but whether they have invested in the right players and if defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell can get the best out of them.

On the surface, the Jaguars have the scheme to make it work. Caldwell comes from the Todd Bowles school of coaching, which places a large emphasis on the linebacker position and asks for a lot from the unit. The Jaguars also have former NFL linebackers in Caldwell and inside linebackers coach Tony Gilbert, who know what it takes to develop at the NFL level.

Why Lloyd likely fell and why he is a good addition to the Jaguars' defense

The biggest question when the Jaguars took Lloyd was simply how he even made it to the pick. Lloyd was once mocked as early as the top-5 to the New York Giants and was frequently seen as a mid-first rounder throughout the process, if not an early first. But as the first round came to a close, Lloyd was still on the board with just six picks remaining.

A few theories on why the Jaguars were able to land Lloyd: one is the simple devaluation of the linebacker position. Only one linebacker went in the first 26 picks (Quay Walker at No. 22 to the Green Bay Packers), compared to three last year. Off-ball linebackers simply weren't going early in this year's draft, and Lloyd fell as a result. Also, Lloyd is an older prospect. He will be 24 as a rookie, and some teams may look to place an emphasis on younger prospects in the first round.

With that said, Lloyd appears to be a perfect fit in Jacksonville's defense. He has the range to make plays sideline-to-sideline while also adding a ton of value both as a blitzer and as a sub-package edge rusher. Add in his coverage ability and overall versatility as a front-seven prospect and the Jaguars' linebacker-heavy scheme is a perfect fit.

Assessing the Jaguars' value in the trade and decision to not pick an offensive player

Did the Jaguars give up too much to move up to take Lloyd? Not quite, with most models showing the Jaguars giving up fair value in the trade up to No. 27. Giving up the No. 106 pick was a tough pill to swallow, but the Jaguars kept their two third-round picks, most of their Day 3 picks, and ensured a fifth-year option for Lloyd without having a linebacker lower on the board to No. 33 overall.

But what about not taking an offensive player at No. 33? In one way, it was a bold move for the Jaguars to not add a skill player to an offense that failed to score points at any consistent rate in 2022. But the Jaguars are not a needs-based drafting team, at least not in the early rounds. The Jaguars simply needed playmakers, and one could make more of a defense that they have offensive playmakers than defensive playmakers after their free agency spending.